


The Start of Something Great

by cannibitchbrat



Series: BatElf AU [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 06:38:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7673899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cannibitchbrat/pseuds/cannibitchbrat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe things aren't as bad as they seem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Start of Something Great

“I am not a child.”

“Well, technically your age does say otherwise. Thirteen isn’t exactly an adult.” 

They had this conversation at least twice a week, Dick was well aware that Damian understood that he was not old enough by law to rule their kingdom, but it didn’t stop the child’s frustration from boiling over every once and a while.  
Damian was the legitimate son, he was to be king, but it did still stand that he was not old enough yet to make the proper decisions, or so the council thought. Honestly, Dick was well aware that Damian might make a good ruler even in his young age, but at the same time he was inexperienced and rather violent and impulsive and that was not good behaviour to exhibit if this was going to work out one day. 

So as Bruce wrote in his last letter; Dick was to rule until Damian was of age so that Dick had time to teach him the proper way to become a ruler that Bruce would be proud of, and one that the kingdom wouldn’t imminently shun and try to overthrow. Should be simple right?

Totally and completely wrong on every level physically possible. 

Damian was a little brat around every turn and honestly Dick was losing his patience, not that it really showed on his outward demeanour considering it had only been a few months and he was supposed to be the friendly go-to brother and nice King-guy.  
Nice King-guy he did not feel like at all though. Bruce only just died, everyone was tense and upset and not at all used to Richard being in power, another Wayne gone and it was draining on him the most which had really been hindering his patience with his youngest brother. Dick had to live through Jason being killed and now Bruce was gone too and Tim had barricaded himself up inside his room doing gods only know what up there. 

_Reading_ He’d be told when he finally decided to go up and check on him, _Research Dick, just leave me alone._

And Damian. Just. Damian. 

“Age means nothing Grayson, You know I am fit to rule, it is my birthright to sit were my Father sat and do what he is teaching me to.” 

“To do what _I am_ teaching you, Damian. You know the rule, It’s three more years until you’re sixteen and finally legible for the throne, and if they find you fit at that time, they’ll let you come in early, if not, two more years and it will be yours either way. I’m sorry, don’t give me that look, you know I hardly wanted to take this spot.”  
If looks could kill this kid would have a high body count.

“Well if you do not wish to have the spot, drop it!”

“Then it goes to Tim since he’s older than you are. You know that. Or a general of the guard, and do you really want a power happy war veteran to have your- our- Father’s crown and throne? No? I thought so.” 

Yeah, maybe that was a little too much, the kid was looking down a bit now in that way he sometimes did when he was upset and didn’t want anyone else to realize it, and maybe Dick had raised his voice at him and maybe a few of the servants were looking at him like he had grown devils horns and a tail or something. Ugh. Why were they doing this in the hallway again? So uncivilized. “Look, Damian, sorry, but. I need to stay on the throne and be King just a little longer and you know that. Just, sorry little bird, okay?” 

He’s still looking down but shifts a little seemingly in acceptance before looking back upwards at Dick with this tight little scowl that reminds him so much of Bruce that his heart does a painful little clench at their similarities, finally Damian nods faintly, before crossing his arms over his chest effectively looking a lot more like a thirteen year old who just got chewed out for doing something he knew was unacceptable.

“I do not need to be coddled Grayson.”

Of course he didn't, that’s his answer to everything now. 

Honestly, Dick wondered if other children acted the way Damian did where he came from, or if it was just him. Sure, Damian had a slightly different upbringing than most children his age but still: this was a ride that Dick did not sign up for. Not to say he didn't love Damian with his whole heart and soul, but he was difficult at times. Tim had never acted this way! Which was totally unfair to compare two different people, but as he said before he was still pretty frustrated. 

"Of course."

Making a dismissive gesture Dick brought a hand upwards and rubbed irritated at the bridge of his nose. It was still early morning. He could tell his brother to go start on his studies early and then he himself could go spend the rest of the morning with Barbara, maybe go check on Tim to make sure he was eating and not doing anything weird locked up there in his room. Yeah that sounded like a good idea. Slowly opening his eyes that he had closed in irritation somewhere in this silent intermission from their squabble he took in his brothers appearance and still irritated looking face before deflating.

"Okay enough of this, go find Alfred and make him run you a bath then get a head-start on your studies. I promised Babs I'd eat breakfast with her." Damian's face scrunched up a bit more, and Dick swore if his brother acted more like a thirteen year old he would have stuck out his tongue childishly but instead all he was given was a huff and Damian turning rather dramatically on heel until he was walking in the opposite direction and down the twisting hall.

“I’ll be checking in on you later!”

Dick had doubts that Damian would actually do as asked, but maybe the gods didn't hate him this morning.

Turning himself, he idly rubbed his hands together and gathered up the sides of his robe before he began his trek around to the east wings large porch that Barbara loved to eat breakfasts on so that she may enjoy the sun lifting through the skies. For this kind of weather Dick would much rather stay inside were it is indeed warm, sure it wasn't freezing outside but still getting cold slowly. The trees were slowly starting to shed their leaves and the nights seemed to last forever. Fall wasn't his favourite time of year, at all. It's when things died, like Jason among many things. Such a thought made Dick realise he should probably head down to the cemetery sooner rather than later and pay his baby brother a visit, maybe bring him flowers or something like that, even though he is vividly aware Jason would never want him doing that. 

It still hurt as if it had happened yesterday and if Dick was honest, going to the cemetery was punishment for himself. He wasn't able to save them, either of them. In a logical part of his mind he knew that he couldn't have saved either his Father or brother, but Dick needed someone to blame and blaming himself seemed like the easiest thing to achieve when no one was aware of who killed Bruce, and Jason's killer was still at large. The what-ifs and nightmare-ish scenarios always plaid out in his head or dreams so it was still hard to let go, and the thought that somewhere his baby brothers killer was still skulking around was torture on his mind as is.  
Why Bruce let him live is beyond Dick’s comprehension. 

Such dreadful thought would have to be set aside for now because as it seemed the east wing was quickly coming into focus which meant he was going to have to plaster a big smile on his face and pretend like he didn’t just have a miniature scuffle with his baby brother. Though he’s aware that Barbara- as always would not be fooled by his bullshit as she has told him many times. Though honestly as he rounded the corner to the outside balcony and saw her sitting there, a soft smile on her lips as she sipped some tea out of a cup the fake smile melted into something a little more genuine as he approached her perch at the little marble table settled out between some lavished planters filled with flowers from across the kingdom.

“You’re late.” Was her only response to him pulling out his chair that was across from her own and sitting down in it like every other morning that they did this together. 

His reply a simple shrug, seeing as he did not want to explain the cluster-fuck that was the argument he and Damian had every other day. Though, Dick’s smile seemed to grow considerably at that, and he drew his glance to the rising sun, the only thing he could really think about was that maybe this day wouldn’t be so bad as he thought it would be, and that maybe. Just maybe, things were starting to look up.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!   
> This is the prologue to a hopefully Multi-length fanfiction. No I do not have set days I will update this is all up to my motivation levels.   
> I just hope whoever reads this enjoys it as much as I have well writing it, and if there is any mistakes please contact me! (I have no editor thus far.)
> 
> Thanks for reading and hope I get some dedicated fans!


End file.
